Belmont Abbey College student's death rattles campus

Belmont Abbey women's soccer players show their support for the late Michael McGuire by wearing No. 5 on their wrists during Saturday's exhibition scrimmage soccer match at home against Charlotte's Queens University.

By Richard Walker

Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at 05:26 PM.

Michael McGuire’s memory will carry on with the Belmont Abbey men’s soccer team. A remembrance ceremony for McGuire was held Monday afternoon at the Belmont college. The 18-year-old died Friday after collapsing Aug. 16 during a practice session. A 6-foot-3 freshman from Bartlett, Tenn., McGuire was earning a starting spot as a defender for the Crusaders, according to coach John Keating.

Now, Keating, his team and his school will try to move forward.

“It’s certainly been tough on everybody,” Keating said. “Everybody’s trying to be positive, but it’s been a challenge.”

Belmont Abbey held a vigil Friday night. The women’s soccer players wore McGuire’s “No. 5” on their wrists during a Saturday afternoon scrimmage, and “No. 5” was painted on the school’s alumni field during that match. It remained there Monday.

Michael McGuire’s memory will carry on with the Belmont Abbey men’s soccer team. A remembrance ceremony for McGuire was held Monday afternoon at the Belmont college. The 18-year-old died Friday after collapsing Aug. 16 during a practice session. A 6-foot-3 freshman from Bartlett, Tenn., McGuire was earning a starting spot as a defender for the Crusaders, according to coach John Keating.

Now, Keating, his team and his school will try to move forward.

“It’s certainly been tough on everybody,” Keating said. “Everybody’s trying to be positive, but it’s been a challenge.”

Belmont Abbey held a vigil Friday night. The women’s soccer players wore McGuire’s “No. 5” on their wrists during a Saturday afternoon scrimmage, and “No. 5” was painted on the school’s alumni field during that match. It remained there Monday.

“I think the girls wanted to show their support,” Lady Crusaders coach Mike Lynch said. “We’re still kind of in shock. Any time there’s a death of a Belmont Abbey family member, the family hurts. And even though he’d been here a short time, he showed that he was a special person.”

McGuire’s cause of death hasn’t been determined, and school officials say the family requests privacy in their time of mourning.

However, Keating said his program has come up with a way to honor the second player it has lost to death in the last seventh months. Former captain and four-year starter Ross Smith died of cancer in January.